Observations on Ohio's Implementation of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act -- Hearing Before the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, February 13, 1990

• NCJ Number: 123200
• Author(s): J H Luke
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This statement made before the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs in February 1990 examines Ohio's implementation of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986.

Abstract

The 1986 Act is intended to help educate children about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Since the inception of the Drug-Free Schools program, Ohio has received about $28 million in Federal funds. Most of these funds are distributed to local school districts, and each district is allowed to decide how it will spend the monies. Most school districts spend a large proportion of the funds in training school personnel to deal with drug and alcohol abuse problems; a relatively small amount is used to purchase materials and supplies. Cleveland employs two primary approaches to implementing drug and alcohol education programs: (1) trains teachers to use commercially developed curriculum packages in the classroom; and (2) trains school officials and community members to act as a team in developing and implementing programs. Another city has used most of its funds to employ a chemical abuse coordinator. The Drug-Free Schools program is relatively new, and the effectiveness of Ohio's participation is largely unknown. A sample of students and teachers, however, generally gave the program passing grades.